Test 4
Part 1
The examiner asks the candidates about him/herself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics.
EXAMPLE
Bicycles
How popular are bicycles in your home town?[why?]
Unfortunately, bikes are not very popular in my home town. I think this is a result of a few things. Firstly, my home town is too far away from the other local towns and cities to travel by bicycle so instead people choose to travel by car. Secondly, my hometown is very hilly, and many people are too lazy to cycle around the steep hills. Most people are also fairly well off, so they can afford a car. They think cars are faster and more convenient, so bicycles are not so common.
How often do you ride a bicycle? [ why/ why not?]
I ride my bicycle everyday. I ride my bike to work everyday from Monday to Friday, and I like to go on bike trips into the countryside on the weekend. I find cycling a relaxing way to exercise and stay healthy.
Do you think that bicycles are suitable for all ages?[why/ why not?]
I do not think cycling on the road is not suitable for all ages. Some young children, and even some very old people, are not aware enough to cycle on the road. Similarly, people who have not passed their driving test may not be aware of the rules of the road, and could cause an accident. I am in full support of introducing a cycling proficiency exam to improve to standards of cyclists on the road, and to reduce accidents and fatalities.
What are the advantages of a bicycle compared to a car?[why]
Cycling is far cleaner for the environment. Admittedly, bicycles are slower than cars, but with so many cars on the road, it is actually sometimes faster to travel by bike than by car, especially at rush hour when there are lots of traffic jams! In London, new 'Cycle Superhighways' have been introduced, where cars cannot go. By allowing cyclists this space, it is often faster to cross the city by bicycle than by car!
PART 2
Describe a person who has done a lot of work to help people.
You should say:
Who this person is/was
Where this person lives/lived
What he/she has done to help people
And explain how you know about this person.
You will have to talk about this topic for one to two minutes.
You have one minute to think about what you are going to say.
You can make some notes to help you if you wish.
My brother has done more to help other people in his life than anyone else I know. He has good moral standards; if there is an old lady trying to cross the road, he will always stop to help her. If a pregnant lady is standing up on the bus, he will always offer her his seat. In school, he would always offer to help and explain things to his classmates if they didn't understand.
Not only is he kind and thoughtful in everyday life, but on top of this he completed a charity walk from Lands End to John O'Groats, over 1,500 kilometers across Britain. This is a fantastic achievement in itself, but he also managed to raise over ￡1000 for charity!
Furthermore, he volunteered every Saturday for a year at a local charity shop, Oxfam, which raises money for people living in poverty. He is an extremely selfless person, who gets the most pleasure in life from helping other people rather than himself.
PART 3
Discussion topics:
Helping other people in the community
Examples questions:
What are some of the ways people can help others in the community?which is most important?
I think one of the best ways to get involved and help in the community is to volunteer at a local charity. I volunteered at a wildlife conservation trust when I was 15. Everyday in the summer holiday, I would be outside in the woods and the countryside, helping to build eco-friendly footpaths, fences and bridges, so people could enjoy the forest park without damaging the local wildlife and habitats. It was a great way to stay active, have fun, make friends and help the community.
Why do you think some people like to help other people?
Helping other people makes you feel good about yourself, especially when they show their thanks and gratitude. You get a sense of pride and fulfilment, knowing that you did something worthwhile to help change someone else's life.
If more people were generous with their time and helped other people, the world would be a better place.
Some people say that people help others in the community more now than they did in the past. Do you agree or disagree?
I am not sure, I will have to ask my Dad about that one! He is much older than me so he is in a better position to compare society from 40 years ago to society today! Over the past 20 years, I know the British government has encouraged schools to play a more active role in the community, and to encourage students to take part in volunteering and community activities, so I would like to think that there has been a rise in community kindness.
Community services
Example questions:
What types of services, such as libraries or health centers, are available to the people who live in your area? Do you think there are enough of them?
In my hometown, in England, there are lots of libraries and health centres in the local area that offer a wide range of free services. The libraries have modernised and now offer computer and internet services, as well as ebooks and CD's for loan. These are useful for lots of people, especially poorer people who maybe cannot afford to buy books and CD's, or who don't have access to computers or the internet at home.
Which groups of people generally need most support in a community?why?
Likewise, lots of government funded community health centres have also opened up to offer support and increase awareness about issues such as sexual health, pregnancy and domestic violence, as well as offer guidance and treatment for diseases such as cancer and AIDS. These are especially useful for young people, who maybe have questions about sex and relationships but are too embarrassed to ask their parents, or who are worried about older relatives with a terminal illness.
Who do you think should pay for the services that are available to the people in a community? Should it be the government or individual people?
In the UK, the government pays for all community services such as libraries, hospitals and schools. While I fundamentally agree that governments should offer these services for free to all its citizens, I also understand that in other countries, this issue can be very complicated. I think everyone needs to sit down together and vote on how to prioritise national budgets and tax levels. |
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